Mechanism for feeding eyelets and the life.



A. L. CURRIER.. MECHANlsM FOR FEEDlNG EYELETS AND THE LIKE,

APPLICATION FILED MAYT, 1914.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

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4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

IIR missiva A. L. CURRIER. MECHAIN'ISM FOR FEEDING EYELETS AND THE LIKE. I

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 1914. 1,260,5I. f Patented Mar. 26,1918.

j "i 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. L. CUHRIER. 'MECHANISM FOR FEEDING'EYELETS ANDTHE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 19M.

Patented'Mar. 26, 1918.

,-A. L. GURRIEH. MECHANISM FOR FEEDING EYELETSAND THE LIKE.l

APPLICATION FILED MAY I. 1914.v

Patented Mar. 26, y1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4| ma am uw; www MLMXWX Nik) [ritratta ARTHUR L. CURRIER, or NEWTON, Massi-i CHUSETTS, A-SSIGNOR TO LE J. W'. MOORE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CRPRATIGN GF MASSAGE-IU- SETTS.

-MECHNISM FOR FEEDING E'YELETS ANDTHE LIKE.

Specieation of Letters Patent.

Fatented Mar. 26, tte.

Application led May 7, 1914. i Serial No. 837,058.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. C'Unainr., a citizen ofthe United States, and resident of Newton, county of ldiddlesex,` State of Massachusetts, have invented an 1improvement in Mechanisms for Feeding Eyelets and the like, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention is an apparatus for sorting and feeding eyelets from a magazine or hopper to a raceway, and its object is to improve andlperfect` apparatus of this kind and particularly to provide means which will yhandle eyelets `or the like, with their barrels approximately equal. to their length. rIn prior eyelet` feeding devices or hoppers,`

great difficulty has been experienced in the mechanism to sort the eyelets and feed the same from the hopper, especially where eyelets which were of substantially equal length of barrel to the diameter of flange were to be handled, such eyelets frequently becoming jammed and failing to feed properly from the hopper or in the raceway therefrom. To obviatethese dificulties, my present invention comprises means to lift eyelets from the bottom of the hopper, to hold and carry the same upwardly to practically the top of the hopper, and then to drop the eyelets upon a pair of rotating rolls which will act automatically to feed the eyelets towart the outlet of the racewayV and `to position the same accurately, and also` eliminate all danger of such eyelets becoming jammed. ln carrying out my invention,r I prefer to utilize a rotary hopper or a rotary section in a hopper or magazinawhich will pick up the eyelets from the bottom and carry the same during the rotation of the hopper to the topmost part, and there will drop the eyelets upon a pair of adjacent rolls, positioned approximately centrally within the magazine or hopper and for substantially an equal length therewith. These rolls I prefer to rotate, with their upper surfaces moving in opposite directions, so that as eyelets are dropped thereonby the rotating hopper, the tendency willbe to throw'ofl the surplus eyelets which will drop back into the bottom of the hopper. V`.Thispair ofadja- ,cent rolls I-alsoprefer to soposition that one roll is above the plane of the. other, or ofllarger diameter so that as the eyelets are dropped thereon, a tendency seems to `be automatically `given to each one to stick in the interstice between the two rol-ls with the Hangs of each eyelct in a substantiall f vertical position. This results from the eyelets `loeing dropped on to the` roll,y the flanged portion being slightly 4heavier will tend to strike first on the higher roll, and then slide downwardly until the barrel of the eyelet strikes the lower roll, being thus automat'- cally positioned with the flange nearly vertical. I also prefer to corrugate orgroove the surfaces of these rolls `in such a manner that their rotation in opposite directions, as above explained will tend to positively carry or fleet the eyelets longitudinally of the rolls to the gateway and raceway at one end of the pair of rolls. I find that a` further advantage of having one feeding roll of `larger diameter than the other, is that the eyelets which strike upon the smaller feeding roll and are moved toward the larger, as `well as those eyelets which strike substantially in proper position upon both rolls, t'. e. with the flange vertical, acts to hold the flanges of all such eyelets in a practically vertical plane. lf both rolls were of the saine diameter, the eyelets would lie at an indiscriminate angle in the valley between the two rolls, z'. c. sonic at approximately 4:50 l inclining on one roll, and others at a similar angle inclining` upon the other roll. Difliculty lwould then be experienced in delivering such eyelets to a raceway. By my arrangement they are practically in position to be delivered into the raceway itself, being further strengthened and guided by the overhanging or upwardly extending edge `of one side of the raceway, as will be explained. In order to further facilitate this longitudinal feeding action, l prefer to have the pair of rolls inclined in the hopper toward the raceway or gateway, and may ..arrange these rolls to be adjustably inclined for better feeding action with different classesof work.

Mypresent invention is particularly `valuable in. handling small eyelets, such as cthose used in gloves and the like, wherein ,.ashortbarrel andlange arenecessary. A

further feature of the invention is that the spiral'groove formed in one of the pair of feeding rolls is preferably of the same diameter as the width of barrel of the eyelets being handled so that, as an eyelet falls on the pair of rolls and assumes the proper position for entering the raceway at the end of said rolls, with its barrel engaged in the spiral groove, it is fed in this position continuously until it reaches the gateway to the raceway where it enters the slide or guideway in the raceway and emerges from the hopper.

Other features of the invention, details of construction, and novel combinations of parts, will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in cross section, of a hopper and the sorting and feeding rolls therein.

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is an end view with a portion of the hopper broken away to more fully illustrate the position of the sorting rolls;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the sorting rolls;

Fig. 5 being a side view of the sorting rolls as shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the rolls Where the raceway receives an eyelet fed from the rolls;

Fig. 7 is a detail of the end portion of the raceway; and

Fig. 8 is a view, partly in cross section, of a modified form illustrating the provision for adjustment of the rolls and raceway, together with a preferred form of gate between the rolls and the raceway underneath said rolls;

Figs. 9 and 10` are views illustrating the gate to the raceway at the end of one roll; and

Fig. 11 is an end view of the rolls and raceway gate.

It will be understood that I may use my improved hopper or magazine and eyelet feeding mechanism in connection with any customary eyelet handling or setting mechanism, such as the eyelet Setters used in ailixing eyelets in gloves, clothing, or the like, or to shoes and belting, or the like, my invention having to do with the sorting and feeding of the eyelets from a magazine to a raceway. As illustrated in the drawings, a rotatable hopper, comprising the sides 1 and back 2 is mounted on a shaft 3, held in' bearings 4 on a standard 5, with a pulley 6 keyed to one end of the shaft 3, so that the hopper may be rotated. The hopper is preferably cylindrical in form, the sides 1 being a continuous circular sheet, fitted rigidly to the end 2, which in turn is secured to the shaft 3, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The opposite end of the hopper is open, but is maintained in a closed position by a plate 7, aiiixed to a standard 8, and constituting anv end to the hopper with suitable openings therethrough for the feed rolls and raceway, as will be explained.4 Mounted on the inner side of the plate 7 closing the open end of the hopper is a bracket plate 9, having radial slots 10 and 11 formed therein, and being adapted to hold a frame 12, having end plates 13 and 14, respectively, which carry journal bearings for the adjacent feeding and sorting rolls 15 and 16 (see Fig. 1). This frame is preferably held in adjusted position with angular relation to the axis of rotation of the magazine, by a pair of threaded screws 17 and 18 passing through the radial slots 10 and 11, and being tapped into the frame 12, so that loosening of the screws 17 and 18 will permit of a considerable adjustment of the frame 12. To still further facilitate this adjustment, I provide a pivot pin 19 from the rearmost portion of the plate 9 into the frame 12. I find this adjustment is desirable to permit the hopper to handle a wider rangeof eyelets, some eyelets being more readily sorted and fed at a different angle of inclination for the rolls 15 and 16 than is desirable with others. Also secured to the frame 12 is a raceway 20, which leads up to the lowermost end of the adjacent rolls 15 and 16, and which are of suitable form in cross section to receive and carry eyelets fed thereto, swinging said eyelets by means of the flanges thereof. The eyelet hopper is provided with a plurality of cup shaped shelves 21 and during the rotation of the hopper, which is at any suitable speed, the shelves 21 lift a number of eyelets from the lower portion of the hopper, the hopper being partially filled with loose eyelets, and raise the same until in a nearly vertical position (see Fig. 3) when the eyelets are dropped ofi' and fall upon the rolls 15 and 16. In order to carry these loose eyelets to a position above the rolls 15 and 16, I prefer to make the Shelves 21 curved substantiallyT as shown. rIhe eyelets being now dropped on to the rolls 15 and 16 at any point throughout their length, will tend to slide toward the lowermost end of the rolls where the raceway is positioned. To facilitate this sliding, or positive longitudinal feeding action, I prefer t0 rotate the rolls 15 and 16, and may desire to corrugate both rolls to still further feed the eyelets, but prefer to corrugate at least one roll with a spiral groove, which will positively feed eyelets to the raceway. This spiral is so formed that the roll carrying it, when rotated with its upper' surface away from the adjacent roll, will feed eyelets longitudinally thereof and into the raceway 20. Furthermore, I prefer to form this spiral groove 22 of appropriate diameter to receive the barrel of an eyelet, such eyelet jacent surfaces or" the two rolls,

nal bearings 23 and 2li,

therethrough.

having a flange extending between the adand to position the raceway so that it will receive the eyelet so ted at the end of the spiral groove. l have discovered that it is desirable to have one roll either of larger diameter or raised above the other roll7 so that the eyelets as they are tumbled upon the two feeding and sorting rolls 15 and 16, will be automatically given a tendency to be thrown upon the lower roll with the llange in a nearly vertical position. This feature is of decided importance, and greatly facilitates the posi.- tioning, sorting', and feeding of the eyelets, as Vthe saine work downwardly along the feeding rolls and finally into the feeding groove 22, `from whence they are conducted through the raceway to any desired position.

ln order to rotate the hopper and also the rolls 15 and 16, l provide a pair of jourwhich may be conveniently mounted trom brackets on the bases 5 and 87 to carry a shaft having a driving pulley thereon, belted to any suitable source of power, and small driving pulley 2'? in position to receive a belt 28 and connect the same with a pulley G to revolve the hopper. @n another' port-ion of the shaft 25 is a pulley 29, in position to carry a belt 30, led around a pulley 31 on the roll 15. ln order to turn the roll 15 with its upper surface in a direction contrary to the line oi rotation ot' the corresponding roll .165 said roll 1G is rotated by the gear 32 on the roll 15 meshing with the gear 38 ou the roll 16, see Figs, 2 and el. Any suitable ratio or' speed between the revolution of the hopper and the rotation of the rolls 15 and 1G may be provided; l lind that a relative speed oli about 10 to 1 is satisfactory V'tor work on glove eyelets, z'. e. the rolls 15 and 16 are rotated at about ten :times the rate ot' speed as that of the hopper. The end plate 7 is provided with a recess Sel. to

permit the traine 12, rolls 15 and 16, and

raceway 20 to project within the interior of the hopper, which recess is preferably a clcse lit to prevent eyelets .troni egress ln assembling the rolls and gears above mentioned, l prefer to collars 35 and on the roll 15, and 37 on the roll 1G, substantially as shown in Fig. l.

ln Fig. G l hare illustrated in crossvsection the manner in which the raceway 20 projects into the interstice between the spiral groove 22 on the roll 16 and the adjacent surf-a ot the roll 15, Fig. 7 still further illustrating the form of the end of the rareway 20, which is provided with a linger or prong S9 to facilitate the feeding et' the eyelet from the groove 22 into the slot l-O ot' the raceway 20.

-luy suitable form of hopper may be utilized. but l prefer to form a hopper with a glass section 41 in the sides 1, which may be held in position by guards 42 secured by set screws 4:3 and il, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The/main features ot' my machine are also use-ful in the feeding oit' tire crackers.

l have illustrated a modified form of the invention in lligs, 8, J, 10, and 1l, wherein a hopper similar to that already described is shown with sides 4l5lq head 4G, adapted to rotate on a sli-ait di? and with a frame i8 ini'cjecting into the hopper through the liXed plate lil to carry the sorting and feeding rolls. Un each end of the 'traine i8 are brackets carrying suitable bearings for the feeding rolls 51 and The roll 51 is provided with a pulley outside the plate el?) (not shown) to rotate the same7 and the inner ends of the rolls 51 and are provided with intermcshing gears and 5st, respectively. ln the present 'torni oil' my invention the smaller roll 52 has its eyelet engaging surface ot greater length than the larger roll 31, ending adjacent the raccway 5dq said raccway boing in position with one side 5G apping the reduced or shoulr'lcred poroii' larger roll 531, and with the other 5T in position to catch the eyelets he saine roll oil' the. end or the short-cr roll The side 5G, where it overlaps slightly duced or shouliilercd portion ot' the larger ol 51 is preferably curved to engage the lange of an cyelet reaching the end of the lecdin rolls and insure such eyelct entering the raceway correctly. Thus the end of the re. 'ay itselil a gate, no separate passage i e being necessary to control the escape the eyeletsl from the hopper to the raceway. ln order to provide a suitable bearing tor the roll 52j l forni on one of the brackets 50 a cup shaped member 60, to act as a peripheral hearing 'For the roll 52, and to permit the rarcway to come directly i the end of said roll. The race ay 55 is y ivi also secured to the inline i118, which tramo s rnadc augularly adpistable, as 1n the tormer construction. To eii'ect this adjustinenh l provide the ,traine elfi with an exten sion (l1j the frame being piroted at 62 to a hraclret o3 formed on the plate 495 and adjacent the opening in sad plate through which the feeding rolls and and the ra way project. Fitted through a bearing in the fixed plate or end i9 and in position to co tact with the extension 61, is ay threaded sc ew G5, provided with a loclr nut (36. adjustment of the screw acts to oscillate the traine i8 and consequently to fix the angle oi inclination of the feeding and sorting rolls 51 and. 52 in any desired position.

The action of the feeding and sorting rolls, by having the upper surfaces rotating oppositely to throw o'f any surplus eyelets, while still feeding such eyelets carried by it toward the raceway, acts to positively prevent any binding of the eyelets or their ianges while being so fed from the magazine. This feature I believe to be a distinct novelty in such sorting and feeding mechanism, and I wish to claim the same broadly. It will be also understood that while I have illustrated the invention as applied to an eyelet feeding hopper, it is equally valuable for use in handling other devices than eyelets, such as gromets, snap fasteners, etc.

Having described my invention, what I claim as :new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a magazine to contain a quanlity of eyelets, means to carry eyelets from the bottom of said magazine upwardly and drop them when in uppermost position, a pair of eyelet sorting and feeding rolls within the magazine in position to catch eyelets when dropped, means to adjust the angle of said rolls, means to rotate said rolls, a raceway cooperating with the lowermost ends of the feeding rolls and adjustable therewith, and means to t ansfer an eyelet from the lowermost ends of the rolls to the raceway.

2. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a magazine to contain a quantity of eyelets, means to carry eyelets from the bottom of said magazine upwardly and drop them when in uppermost position, a pair of eyelet sorting and feeding rolls within the magazine in position to catch eyelets when dropped, the eyelet receiving surface of one feeding roll being in a higher plane than that of the adjacent roll, means to rotate said rolls in opposite directions, mechanism to vary the axis 0f inclination of said rolls, and a raceway cooperating with -said rolls at their lowermost ends and adapted to receive an eyelet from said feeding rolls irrespective of the angle of adjustment of said rolls.

3. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a magazine t0 contain a quantity of eyelets, means to carry eyelets from the bottom of said magazine upwardly and drop them when in uppermost position, a pair of eyelet sorting and feeding rolls within the magazine in position to catch eyelets when surfaces of said rolls being constructed and arranged to rotate in opposite directions at different lperipheral speeds, and means to Copier of this patent may be dropped, the eyelet receiving vary the angle of the surfaces of said rolls to adjust the same to regulate the feeding of eyelets thereby.

et. rin apparatus of the kind described, comprising a magazine to contain a quantity of eyelets, means to carry eyelets from the bottom of said magazine upwardly, allowing the same to fall when the carrying means is in uppermost position, and eyelet sorting and feeding mechanism adapted to catch eyelets when thus let fall, comprising a pair of adjacent rolls and a raceway, both adjustably supported within the hopper with relation to the aXis of rotation thereof.

An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a rotatable magazine to contain a. quantity of eyelets, means to carry eyelets from the bottom of said magazine upwardly, allowing the same to fall when the carrying means is in uppermost position, and eyelet sorting and feeding mechanism adapted to catch eyelets when thus let fall, comprising a carrier for a pair of adjacent rolls and a raceway, a pivot for said carrier, and mechanism to adjust both the raceway and the pair of rolls with relation to the axis of rotation of the magazine by swinging said carrier on its pivot.

6. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a magazine to contain a quantity of flanged eyelets, and means to deliver said eyelets to sorting and feeding mechanism which normally feeds 'said eyelets with their' flanges substantially in a vertical plane, said mechanism comprising a plurality of oppositely moving surfaces, one surface moving at a greater speed than the other.

7. An apparatus of the kind described, having a pair of feeding rolls, a raceway to cooperate with 'said rolls to receive and conduct an article from said rolls, and a guide constituting a continuation of one wall of said raceway overlapping one of the feeding rolls constructed and arranged to engage and guide an article from the rolls into the raceway.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my. name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR L. CURRIER.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. HOUDER, R. G. HERSEY.

obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

